Category Archives: Opening the Bible

Set Aside

Jesus said in John 10:35 that the Scripture cannot be set aside. What did He mean by these words? It means the Scripture is true. When we examine the biblical witness in the context in which it was written, it is completely authentic, genuine and of absolute veracity. When Christ was confronted by the materialistic Sadducees and theirContinue reading “Set Aside”

Seeing Things As They Are

Someone said, “We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.” They said a mouthful, didn’t they? All you have to do is think about selfies. We take them until we finally have one that reflects the way we like to think we look (conveniently forgetting that it took us 67Continue reading “Seeing Things As They Are”

Our Times are in His Hands

The late Pete Seeger took Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and arranged it into a song but before he could get into the studio to record it, a group called The Limelighters did. One of the musicians for that session was a guitarist by the name of Roger McGuinn.  McGuinn helped arrange the song for Judy Collins’ album the following year. In 1964, heContinue reading “Our Times are in His Hands”

Nicodemus and the New Birth (2)

Under the law God had given through Moses, Jewish people like Nicodemus entered into a covenant relationship with God by virtue of their physical birth into the nation (there was more to it than that, of course, but that was where it began). With the coming of Christ, covenant relationship no longer came through theContinue reading “Nicodemus and the New Birth (2)”

Nicodemus and the New Birth (1)

You have to have some sympathy for Nicodemus. From all appearances, he was a person who wanted to do what was right. Although Jesus was not in favor with the leadership of Israel and Nicodemus was part of that group, he sought Jesus out (John 3) even though it meant putting him at odds withContinue reading “Nicodemus and the New Birth (1)”

Real Work and Real Life

So what do we need to do to increase our spirituality and walk with the Lord? Believe. That’s what Christ told a group of Galileans who asked Him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (John 6:28).  Jesus had earlier chided them for being interested in Him solely because of the meal He had providedContinue reading “Real Work and Real Life”

Let’s Live Like It!

Three times in the gospel of John, Jesus speaks of “the prince of this world” (12:31, 14:30, 16:11).  Although we’re drawn to “prince,” it’s the word “world” that’s most important to understand.  It is regularly used by John to refer to the system that is in opposition to God.  When John speaks of the world as involving the lust of the flesh, the lustContinue reading “Let’s Live Like It!”

High Touch or High Truth?

Unlike the synoptic writers who start with events surrounding Jesus’ birth (Matthew and Luke), or with the ministry of John the Baptizer (Mark), John’s gospel has a cosmic tone as he goes all of the way back to the beginning. We hear echoes of Genesis 1 as he writes about the beginning, the word, and light. Some have suggestedContinue reading “High Touch or High Truth?”

God Using His Words

What if there were no words? Parents wouldn’t be able to encourage their children to use your words.  We would be unable to communicate with each other in the rich, substantive way that words make possible. Without words, our ability to process anything intellectually would be severely diminished. We wouldn’t be able to think our way through someContinue reading “God Using His Words”